Shoe construction



May 20, 1930. R. s. BLAIR SHOE CONSTRUCTION Filed April 13. 1927Patented May 20, 1930 ROBERT S. BLAIR, F ST-AMEOBDy CONNECTIGITT snon'eons'rnuerron Application filed April 13,

This invention relates to shoe construction. One of the objects thereofis to provide a shoe adapted to fit thefoot properly and to retain itsfitting qualities. Another object is to provide a shoe the upperportion-of which is constructed to fit the ankle closely and to avoidstretching and, gaping at such portion. Another object is to providesuch a construction adapted to add to the comfort of the wearer of theshoes. Another object is to provide a shoe construction of the abovenature without 7 adding greatly to the cost of the shoes. Other objectswill be in part obvious or in part pointed out hereinafter. M

The invention accordingly consists in the features of construction,combinations of elements, and arrangements of parts as will beexemplified in the structure to be hereinafter described andthe scope.of'the application of which will be indicated in the following claims.1 i

In the accompanying drawing, in which is shown one of thevariouspossible embodiments of this invention, Figure 1 is asideelevation of a shoe partly cut away to disclose the inner'structure;Figure2 isa plan view of the shoe; and Figure3'is a detached plan viewof a member forming a-part ofthe shoe. 3

Similar reference characters refer to similar parts throughout theseveral views of the drawing. w 2

Referring now to the drawing in detail, thereis shown a low shoe of theoxford type embodying the features of this invention.- It may be notedat this point, however, that the features of this invention are/alsoapplicable to other low shoes of various types,'such' as pumps andslippers, and to high shoes as well. The lower portion ofthe shoe shown.in the drawing isofordinary construction, having asole l0, heel l1 andbody portion 12.. The shoe is opened forginsertion or removal of thefoot, and held in place upon the foot by means of lacing 13 which drawstogether at the front the two side walls 14 and 15in the usual manner.Beneath the lacing 13 is'se-' cured the usual tongue 16. The "two sidewalls 14 and 15 are shown in this instance as .each comprisinga singlemember joinedto- 1927. Serial No. 183,315.

gether at the back of the shoe beneath a vertical strip 17 but it is tobe understood that this .construction is shown only as illustrative of asimple design of shoe.

In the upper portions of the parts 14 and 15, that is, in the upperportion of the shoe, is positioned a member 18 in the form of a flatthin strip of resilient material, which is preferably spring steel orsome suitable material having similar characteristics. This a strip 18extends substantially throughout the upper edge of the shoefollowing thecurvature thereof from the edge 14 of'the part 14 around the rear of theshoeand back to the edge 15 of the part 15. The walls 14 and 15 areprovided with a suitable inner lining, as shown at 19, and the flatspring member18 is preferably built into the shoe between this innerlining and the outer walls thereof. The spring is thus concealed fromView, and moreover does not contact with the ankle.

The inner lining and the outer walls are stitched together, as indicatedat 20, along the top edge of the shoe, and the member 18 is preferablypositioned just below this stitch- L ing. There is shown the usualstitching 21 at the front of the shoe extending alongside the lacing 13,and this stitching serves to support the spring member 18 in front.However, if

desired, one or more short rows of transverse stitching 22 may be addedforreenforcement at this point. At the back of the shoe the stitchingfor the vertical strip 17 serves to hold up the back portion of thespring member, but here also if desired transverse stitching 28 may beadded for reenforcement. In

addition to' the above, the front ends of the spring memberarepreferably provided with openings 24 which register with the top pair ofeyelets receiving the lacing 13. a It will thus 2 be seen tliatthespring member is securely-interlocked with the members of the shoe, isconcealed, and being of-thin strip material is substantiallyunnoticeable in positionin the shoe.

The contour of the ankle about which the top portion of the shoe isto'fit is substantially that indicated by the outline of the top edge ofthe shoe as viewed in plan in Figure 2.

The ankle in cross-section is narrow ati the back and for some distanceforward thereof, thence widening decisively at the front, the changingwidths occurring in substantially the smooth curves shown. In order thatthe top portion of the shoe fit the ankle properly, it is desirable thatthe top of the shoe be made to substantially this contour, and that itretain this contour in use. lVithout special provision the leather atthe top of the shoe soon becomes stretched, and distorted, so that theshoe does not fit the ankle closely, but leaves unsightly gaps.

The spring member 18 is formed so that its normal contour beforeinsertion in the shoe is substantially that shown in the full lineposition in Figure 3 from which it will be seen that the spring curvesoutwardly throughout its free ends or front portions 18, and curvesinwardly on each side adjacent the heel as at 18". \Vhen the springmember is placed in position in the shoe, as shown in Figures 1 and E2,and when its front ends are drawn together by the lacing 13, the springmember assumes the contour shown in dotted lines in Figure 3, whichcontour is substantially that of a cross-section of the ankle. It willbe seen that the portions 18 hold the leather in closely at the rear andnarrow portion of the ankle, and that the portions 18 upon being thusdrawn in by the lacing, hold the leather of the shoe smoothly in againstthe sides and front of the ankle. The spring member will yield to permitthe required freedom of movement of the ankle. but will always return toits original contour and always hold the top of the shoe in closelyagainst the ankle. A proper lit and one which will be indefinitelyretained is thus assured.

The spring member may be varied in width or thickness at various pointsalong its length to have the desired strength and resiliency at theseparticular points. For example, it might be desirable to have theextreme rear portion 18 thereof of a substantially greater degree ofstiffness than the remaining portions of the spring. If desired, inorder to further insure the proper holding of the spring in position, itmay be provided with spurs, such as 18, which bite into the leather ofthe shoe. It is also apparent that the spring member may, if desired, bemade in two or more parts.

From the above it will be seen that there is herein provided a shoeconstruction which embodies the features of this invention and attainsthe objects thereof, including many practical advantages. The springmember in addition to insuring a perfect fit at the ankle, reenforcesand strengthens the entire upper portion of the shoe. The constructionis simple and may be conveniently made at low cost.

It may be noted that the spring member at the rear portion is, asindicated by the dotted line 25 in Fig. 1, preferably formed wider or ofgreater cross-section than at the forward portions so as to increase itsresistance to outward movement at the points 18 when the forward endsare drawn together with the shoe in position on the foot.

As many possible embodiments may be made of the above invention, and asmany changes might be made in the embodiment above set forth, it is tobe understood that all matter hereinbefore set forth or shown in theaccompanying drawing is to be interpreted as illustrative and not in alimiting sense.

I claim as my invention:

1. In shoe construction, in combination, a low shoe provided with afront opening, a pair of resilient parts respectively mounted at eachside of the shoe along its upper edge and positioned between the liningand outer member of the shoe. said parts extending in a for anddirection first converging and then diverging for a substantial distanceto provide a concave resilient member, and means adapted to drawtogether the opening in said shoe and thereby press said outwardlyconcave spring parts against the sides of the ankle.

2. In shoe construction, in combination, a low shoe provided with afront opening, a pair of resilient parts respectively mounted at eachside of the shoe along its upper edge and positioned between the liningand outer member of the shoe, said parts extending in a forwarddirection first converging and then diverging for a substantial distanceto provide a concave resilient member, and means adapted to drawtogether the opening in said shoe and thereby press said outwardlyconcave spring parts against the sides of the ankle, the outwardlyextending portions of said spring parts being of such length as toextend over the front upper edge of the shoe.

3. A shoe, spring means at the rear of the shoe embracing the heel andhaving a normal free shape in which its opposite portions are closertogether than are the corresponding portions of the shoe in use, saidspring means comprising parts in advance of said portions tending tohold the corresponding parts of the shoe away from the foot and spacedmore widely one from the other in free condition than the spacing of theparts at the rear thereof, and means adapted to draw together theforward ends of said last parts. i

4. A low shoe opening at the front, means tending to draw together theportions adj acent said opening, and flat resilient means mountedadjacent the upper edge of said shoe and extending substantiallythroughout said edge and having a normal free shape adapted to press theentire edge against the adjacent surfaces of the foot with said shoe inuse the forward portions of said resilient means he ing curved upwardlyto extend over the upper portion of the instep. Y

5. A low shoe, and a metal member inserted between the lining and outerportion of said shoe at the top of therear thereof and extending .eachside of the center thereof and provided with irregularities adapted tointerlock with the leather of the shoe at points each side of its centerline, said irregularities being shaped and adapted to resist relativemovement in a horizontal direction of the leather with which theyinterlock.

6. shoe having a flat spring member extending substantially along theupper edge thereof and secured thereto and having its forward endportions at each side of the shoe of substantial length and normallytending to move outwardly away from the ankle and having intermediateportions at each side and between said ends and the rear of said shoenormally tending to spring inwardly toward the ankle the normal freeshape of said spring being such as to cause said tendencies.

7. In a low shoe, resilient means secured at the upper edge portion ofthe shoe having portions shaped to press inwardly by their resilienceagainst the ankle at points slightly in advance of the rear of the shoeand portions in advance thereof tending in free condition to hold theshoe away from the forward portion of the ankle, and means adapted todraw the forward portions of said resilient means toward one another andthereby cause them to fit closely about the forward portion of theankle.

8. In a low shoe, resilient means secured at the upper edge portion ofthe shoe having portions shaped to press inwardly by their resilienceagainst the ankle at points slight-1y in advance of the rear of the shoeand portions in advance thereof tending in free con-' dition to hold theshoe away from the forward portion of the ankle, and means adapted todraw the forward portions of said resilient means toward one another andthereby cause them to fit closely about the forward portion of theankle, said resilient means being of greater cross-section adjacent therear of the shoe than at portions further in advance.

9. A low shoe having resilient means secured within and extendingsubstantially throughout its edge portion and curved upwardly at itsforward ends to extend over the instep and means adapted to drawtogether the forward upper edge portionsof the shoe, such resilientmeans having a normal free shape converging toward the rear of the shoeand tending to press the same inwardly between its forward and'rearportions while the forward ends are drawn together.

10. A low shoe having secured within its upper edge portions andextending substan tially about the same a flat spring with upwardlycurved forward ends and means substantially in alignment with saidforward ends, tending to draw same together over the instep of the foot,said spring being of such normal free shape as to converge toward therear of the shoe.

11. A low shoe having an integral spring extending about the upperportion of the heel thereof and having those parts in advance of theheel in normal free shape closer together than the width of the ankleembraced thereby at that pointand thence extending forward at each upperedge of the shoe over the sides of the instep and means adapted to drawinwardly the forward upper edge portions of said shoe. Y

12. A low shoe having secured between its lining and its outer portionan integral spring extending about the upper portion of the heel andthence forwardly at each side substantial- 1 at the upper edge of theshoe and curved upwardly at its forward ends to extend over the instep,said spring being of a normal free shape to tend to press the sides ofthe shoe in advance of its rear end against the sides of the foot andmeans adapted to draw together the forward upper edge portions of theshoe over the instep of the foot.

In testimony whereof, I have signed my name to this specification this11th day of April, 1927.

ROBERT s. BLAI

